You all know how passionate I am about beauty and skincare. When I was younger, my mom taught me to always take care of my body and I definitely include skincare as part of that. I also just love makeup. I started watching YouTube tutorials in 2006 and in 2014, a dear friend and makeup artist gave me lessons while I was getting ready to compete at the Miss Nebraska USA pageant. It’s safe to say throughout the years I’ve learned a lot of beauty tips. These are the five I always, always follow!

Wash Your Makeup Brushes Regularly

Makeup brushes need to be washed at least once a month, though I wash them every week or two because of how regularly I apply makeup. This is incredibly important because dirt, oil, and bacteria build up over time and can quickly cause breakouts. I invest a lot of time and money into my skincare routine and this is an easy way to make sure it works! I love this soap because it’s very concentrated, which is great because it’s more effective and will last for longer. The pure essential oil scent is very refreshing and being made with both over 90% organic ingredients and over 70% certified fair trade ingredients is a bonus as well.

Use Lip Liner First

I truly believe lip liner is underrated. Before putting on lip gloss, lipstick, or lip balm, I always line my lips and fill them in with the liner. Not only does it accentuate and neatly define your lips, but it also helps make your color last longer and prevent bleeding. Think of it like a base coat or primer. While lip liner technically isn’t necessary, I swear once you try it you’re going to see what I mean and won’t be able to resist!

Set Your Face After Applying Makeup

Setting powder is like magic. It helps keep your makeup in place, absorbs extra oil, and creates a matte look that’s still glowy. My all-time favorite is the Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Finish Setting Powder because it blurs and smooths your skin like it was airbrushed. Using this powder is one of my best beauty tips and I couldn’t recommend it more.

Use a Facial Roller at Night

Facial rolling has SO many benefits. It reduces puffiness and wrinkles and promotes firmness and elasticity. Because I’m on the younger side, my main use for it is getting rid of puffiness at night. I use a rose quartz roller, which is one of the two most popular stones used in facial rolling along with jade. A lot of people use a serum or facial oil with it for better absorption, which is great too!

Avoid Makeup Wipes

If you follow any of these beauty tips, please make it this one! Makeup wipes are very problematic and cause more harm than good. Instead of taking off your makeup, they just spread it around your face, which usually causes breakouts. Instead, I highly recommend the Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm! It melts all the makeup off your face and is great for dry skin. You should apply it to a dry face and cover your eyes last, then lather your face with warm water before rinsing.